To What End?
by Malquoria
Summary: A series of short stories, attempting to expand on the movies. It should mainly focus on Will, Jack and Elizabeth. Stories will take place during the times before COTBP, to after DMC. Dead Man's Chest Spoilers present.
1. Class Barrier

**Disclaimer: All rights of Pirates of the Caribbean belong to Disney. I am making no financial gain from this story whatsoever.**

A/N: I plan to write this as a series of short stories, each intending to expand what was revealed in the two movies. Some of them will be one-shots, while others may continue on from a previous one, but I am deliberately making no direct linkage in the story-telling. I'll leave out what happens if it's already discussed in the movies, or to your own imaginations (the second being a fancy way of saying I had no idea how to expand those scenes out).

The stories will proceed from pre-_Curse of the Black Pearl_, to what happens after the second movie. I'll try to keep it in chronological order, but I may jump around the timeline.

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Class Barrier

Two young children sat at the edge of a pier. Ships and boats passed in front of them. Men huffed around, labouring to move the cargo into and out of the port.

The young boy's dishevelled state stood in marked contrast to the young girl's clean, pretty, demeanor.

"I'm Will Turner," he said.

"I remember," she replied. "I'm Elizabeth Swann."

"I know."

They remained silent for a period of time.

"Miss Swann," Will began.

"Elizabeth," she corrected.

"Miss Swann," he persisted. "I never got to thank you for saving me."

"There's no need to," the girl waved away.

"Well, I feel I must," he said.

"Okay then," she said. "You're welcome."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The Governor's mansion stood proudly in the bright Caribbean sun, the clear skies and windy breeze making it a delightful day for one to enjoy the outdoors.

Two young teenagers sat on a bench outside the servant quarters. Once again, the contrast of the two classes was easily visible.

"Will?" Elizabeth asked. "Is there something wrong with me?"

"Huh?" he asked, distracted.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"What?" he blustered. "Oh, nothing really... I just noticed something."

"What?" she asked curiously, wondering what exactly got the teenage boy in front of her so fascinated.

"It was your hair," he said, and then quickly shut up after realising exactly what he said.

She stared at him.

"My hair?" she asked. "Is there something wrong with it?"

"Yeah," he said, thinking quickly. "The wind's blowing it into your face."

"Miss Swann?" asked a servant from the garden. "Your father's looking for you."

Elizabeth left after saying her goodbyes to Will.

"Will?" the servant continued when Elizabeth was out of hearing range. "It wouldn't do to put your hopes on her."

"Whatever do you mean?" he asked.

"It's obvious by how you look at her," the servant said. "You're smitten by her."

"I am not!" he replied hotly.

"Deny it, or admit it," said the servant. "You wear your heart on your sleeve, son."

Will was silent.

"Listen," the servant said. "You're training to be a blacksmith. A _blacksmith_. There will never be a chance of you being with her."

Will remained silent, looking at his boots.

"Look, you're a good kid," the servant noted. "And a good-looking one, too. You're sure to catch the fancy of many-a-lass that'll meet you. But not Elizabeth Swann. It's more than a mountain to climb to overcome the class problem."

"But what if I were willing to try to climb it?" Will finally spoke, looking up and facing the servant, looking at him right in the eye..

"Then you will surely fall and fail," replied the servant. "For while you may be sure of your feelings, you've ignored hers. She'll fall for some dashing man, high in the ranks of the navy perhaps, or maybe a wealthy trader, who will regale her with tales and gifts. Things that you will never possess for you to give."

"I can try," snapped Will. "I don't want any other lass. I want Elizabeth. I know it's difficult. But I can try."

"To what end?" asked the servant sharply. "So you can pour out your heart and then watch it shatter in front of you? How will she ever see you more than a blacksmith when you cannot excite her like those other men who will try their damndest to woo? Such a beautiful woman will have many powerful men competing for her affections? What can you give her?"

"I can give her my love," said Will softly, now looking at his boots again.

"Tell me," the servant spoke, "is that enough?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

She sat at the table, silent and brooding, paying no attention to the plate of food in front of her.

"Aren't you going to eat, Elizabeth?" Governor Swann asked, seated across her.

"Sorry," she replied. "I don't have much of an appetite."

Her father placed down the knife and fork he was holding.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said. "I just don't feel hungry."

"Elizabeth, please," he urged. "I can see something's bothering you."

"It's Will," she sighed, after a moment of silence.

"Will?"

"Yes," she said. "I haven't seen him for over four months. I think I must've done something to anger him."

"Perhaps he's busy," the Governor said. "There has been an increase in the sword requests because of the war."

"No, it's not that," she argued. "Something's bothering him. I know when he feels bad. Last time I met him, he was withdrawn. He didn't want to talk long, and left in a hurry."

"Why don't you ask him?" her father queried.

"What?" Elizabeth asked back. "What if it _is_ me that he's angry at? I can't bear the thought of Will Turner being angry at me."

"Settle down, settle down," the Governor said softly. "Firstly, you said he was withdrawn, it doesn't mean he's angry. Secondly, why would you think it's you? Will has a difficult life, being on his own. There are many possible things aggravating him.

"Thirdly," he continued, "why don't you just ask him? If it is you, you can apologise. If it isn't, you may then start eating again."

Elizabeth let out a small smile on her aggrieved face.

"I'll see him tomorrow, then," she said.

"Tomorrow?" he asked in shock. "I'm not going to sit with you being moody all night. Go talk to him now."

"Now?"

"Yes," he said. "It's only late afternoon. Sunset isn't to arrive for a while. Go."

She didn't wait to be told twice.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The loud knocking on the door did not stop as Will walked quickly to the large wooden door, wiping his grimy hands on an equally grimy cloth.

"I'm coming," he yelled angrily.

"Elizabeth?" he said when the door was opened. "What on earth is wrong?"

"I just wanted to see you," she said cheerily.

He noted the tinge of sadness in her eyes, despite the facade of her smile.

"Is something the matter?" he asked.

Her smile fell.

"Well, yes," she said, and then paused. "You've been avoiding me. Are you mad at me?"

"Avoiding you?" he queried. "I haven't been doing that."

"I haven't seen you for months," she remarked.

"I know that," he said. "I've been busy. A large order of swords were put in and I had to make them quick. Plus I've been having some other difficulties."

"Oh," she said. "I thought it was something to do with me."

"With you? Never," he lied.

To his surprise, she grabbed him and hugged him hard.

"I've missed you," she said.

"And I've missed you, too," he replied.

As if she realised what she did, she quickly separated from him. They remained standing, awkwardly, not sure of what to say.

"I've got to get back home," she then said.

"I'll be seeing you," Will said.

He watched her go to the carriage, and board it. He stared at the carriage as it left, until it vanished around a corner. He then shut the door, and sat on a chair, in thought.

The words of Elizabeth's servant still rang in his ears, five months after hearing them. The words would play in his mind, again and again, consuming his thoughts.

Elizabeth Swann was a difficult person to read. Will felt so strongly about her, but he couldn't do anything without being sure of her feelings first. He couldn't risk seducing the Governor's daughter. If she rejected, his life could have alot of difficulties.

Plus, she gave him no sign that she loved him back. No hint that she didn't feel anything more than just friendship towards him.

No. He'll have to change his way of treating her. He'll have to prevent the inevitable hurt that was to come to him should he proceed in this path.

And the first thing he'd have to do was to stop calling her 'Elizabeth'. 'Miss Swann' will do just fine.

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A/N: Please review. Thanks. 


	2. Acquaintances

**Disclaimer: All rights of Pirates of the Caribbean belong to Disney. I am making no financial gain from this story whatsoever.**

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Acquaintances

"Who are you?" the guard ordered, pointing the sword at the man in front of him.

"By my attire," the man answered, "you can tell that I am an officer."

"Of what navy?"

"The Spanish Navy, of course."

"Your name?" asked the guard.

"Cap... Jack Sparrow," said the man.

"What kind of Spaniard's called Jack Sparrow?"

"My father was English," answered the man. "But I lived with my mother in Spain. Decided to join the Spanish navy."

"Traitor."

"Perhaps," said the man. "But I've joined the stronger side."

"Scoundrel."

"Still," said Jack, "us scoundrel Spanish have had problems with the prisoner, and we have permission to see her, for the King himself."

"Very well," said the guard. "You have a short time with the prisoner."

The door to the prison cell was opened, and Jack walked in, with the door closing behind him. Jack stood in front of the door, staring at its occupant.

A person was curled on the ground, not acknowleding the person's entrance.

"Oh Mary," he whispered, rushing to the person's side, and crouching on the ground. "What have they done to you?"

The person turned over on hearing the sound of his voice. She was a weak woman, no more than thirty years of age. Her face was lined with scars, and the red colour of her hair was barely distinguishable under all of the black dirt.

She tried to get up, but groaned in pain, lowering back to the cold, hard floor.

"J-Jack?" she coughed.

"It's me, luv," he said.

"How did you find me?" she asked.

"Doesn't matter," he answered. "How I'm going to get you out does."

"Forget it," she said.

"What?"

"There's no way I can get out before the morning," she said. "Plus, I can't escape in this state. It's suicide for you."

"I can try," Jack said fiercely.

"To what end?" she gasped. "So that I can see you die with me? I'd rather go to the gallows tomorrow alone."

"Fine!" Jack spat. "Shame on me on not wanting to see you die."

"And shame on me for not wanting to see _you_ die," she tried to laugh, but it sounded more like sobs. "Here, take this."

Hidden under some dirty rags, she removed a small object.

"The compass?" asked Jack in shock. "How did you get it?"

"Before they arrested me, I got it out of the room," she said, a smile on her face.

"Smart lass," Jack smiled back. "But I'm not taking it. It's yours."

"It'll be of more use to you," she argued.

"No, it won't," he said. "It'll only point to this cell."

"Not after tomorrow," she said. "You know my fate in the morning."

"Okay," Jack sighed. "I'll take it."

"Promise me something?" she asked.

"Anything," he answered.

"Leave now," she said, "and never return."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The island of Tortuga was its usual merry state. Which meant yelling, fights, and drunken men and women struggling to drink even more.

In the midst of the mayhem, two men were seated at the table, talking in hushed voices.

"Are you interested?" asked Jack.

"Me?" replied the man seated in front of him. "You have nothing to offer. I may have hard times at the moment, but I'm not desperate enough to join a Captain with no ship."

"I'll get the ship, Barbossa," Jack assured him.

"When you do," replied Barbossa, "come back to me and then we'll negotiate."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Two men stood in front of a large number of guards, on a large ship.

"William?" asked one.

"Yes, Jack?" replied William.

"It seems like we have a problem," he said.

"It does seem that way."

"How stupid would you have to be to attempt to commandeer a ship full of navy-men?" asked the leader of the guards. "Lock them up!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

They were in a small cell at the lower levels of the ship. William Turner sat on the ground, as Jack stood beside the bars.

"Shame we boarded the wrong ship," William said.

"A shame it is," agreed Jack.

"What shall we do?"

"At the moment, I don't know," sighed Jack.

"It'll be fine," assured William. "It always ends so."

"No it most certainly won't," Jack said. "I'm sick of this!"

He grabbed the bars and pulled hard.

"Of what?"

"This!" Jack exclaimed. "Too long have we been running around aimlessly. We rob, but it's never enough. We always get into these weird problems. I need a bloody ship! What kind of pirates don't have a ship?"

"Calm down," said William. "I know Mary's left recently."

"She didn't _leave_, like on a trip," sneered Jack. "She died. Don't sugar-coat it."

"It's affecting you Jack," William warned. "Just don't let it cause you to do something you'll regret."

"I won't."

The ship shook violently, suddenly.

"What was that?" William asked.

The ship groaned, and they felt it stop moving.

A guard ran to the cells, and opened the doors.

"We're going to need all the men we can get," he said. "Head to the deck."

When the two of them stood on the deck, they saw a massive ship right in front of the ship they were on. The other ship lay sideways in front of the navy ship, with the starboard side preventing the navy ship from moving.

"Oh hell," whispered William.

All the people on the deck of the navy ship saw the creatures aboard the large ship ahead of them. The disfigured, monstrous, fish-like features frightened them all to the bone.

"Abandon ship!" roared the navy captain.

A few of the navy men got on the boats and dumped them on the sea, then rowing furiously. Others wasted no time, instead jumping out of the ship and attempting to swim as far as they could. The rest were paralysed with fear, remaining on the deck.

"Don't panic," Jack said. "Follow me."

Jack picked up two swords, passing one to William, and a couple of grenades, left behind by the swimming sailors.

They released a boat on to the water, and Jack dove in, with William quickly behind. Jack, however, did not board the boat, instead swimming right beside it, with the obstructing the view of the two from the pirates attacking the navy ship.

The creatures, for lack of a better word, had boarded the navy ship. Some of them held the navy-men, while the rest attempted to shoot the men swimming, or in the boats, on the water below.

"Let us get on that ship," Jack suggested.

"Have you gone mad?" exclaimed William. "I'm not getting into this."

"No time to explain," Jack said. "This is the opportune moment to take that ship. We can do it. Trust me."

William looked around, probably deciding if he could get out of this alone. "Alright," he said. "Let's go."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Hello," Jack said. "What's this?"

"I don't know," William said.

He held a chest in his arms. A large black chest, which had an unusal keyhole, as if it required two keys placed in simultaneously to unlock.

"It's something that you'll regret touching," a voice said harshly behind him.

Clutching the box tightly, Jack turned around, along with William. They backed away in shock, having seen what looked like the product of a mating between human and squid. A tall creature, with tentacles extending where a chin should've been, stood in front of them. The eyes blazed with fury.

"Who are you?" it asked.

"Captain Jack Sparrow," Jack answered. "Pirate-in-training. And who might your Fishiness be?"

"Davy Jones."

"Oh Lord," William whispered in shock.

"Indeed," Jack said. "So you exist? That's... interesting."

"Give back my chest," Jones ordered, raising the large red claw that resided in where a left hand would be.

"I don't think I will," Jack shot back. "Right?" he said to William.

William was still staring at Davy Jones.

"You are only two people," Davy Jones laughed. "You can't steal it."

"It's not my intention," Jack replied. "I want to negotiate. I give this despicable design of a chest, and you give me something, _savvy_?"

"Why don't I kill the both of you, and take the chest off your dead hands?" asked Davy Jones.

"Because, I have the chest," Jack searched his pockets with one hand, while holding the chest with the other. He removed a grenade.

"And I'll blow this chest, and the three of us sky high if you make a move," Jack said with a toothy grin.

"Don't," warned Davy Jones.

Jack put the chest back on the table, and was ready to light the grenade.

"Don't!" shouted Davy Jones.

"It means that much to you," Jack said thoughtfully. "Tell me what's in it," he ordered.

"I can't," pleaded Davy Jones.

"You can," Jack retorted. "You may not want to tell, but you can. Tell me now. I will not ask again."

"Very well," Davy Jones' shoulders slumped. "It's my heart in there."

"Your heart?" Jack asked. "So the myth about removing it is true?"

"Yes."

"My my my," Jack laughed. "Finally, an opportunity."

"What do you want?" Jones asked.

"Let me and my companions, including the navy-men and their ship, go safely," Jack asked. "And you can have your heart back."

"Very well," Jones said. "You may go."

Jack put the chest down, and took a few steps. He stopped suddenly, and looked at the chest, and then at Davy Jones.

"I might want something else, too..." Jack said.

"We've made the deal," Jones replied sharply. "You'll have to give me something in return."

"I want a ship," Jack said. "What's that worth?"

"Why should I agree to this deal?" Davy Jones asked.

"Because I still have your heart in my hands," Jack countered.

"But we made a deal!"

Jack pointed at himself. "Pirate."

"I'll give you a magnificient ship, but you'll have to give me something."

"What?"

"Your soul," Davy Jones said. "In servitude to me."

"How long do I keep the ship?" Jack asked.

William blanched. "What? Are you seriously going to do this, Jack?"

"Don't worry, William," Jack said. "The deal doesn't cover you."

"That's not what I meant."

"Five years," Davy Jones said.

"Pitiful," Jack countered. "Twenty."

"Seven."

"Fifteen."

"Ten."

"Fifteen."

"Thirteen," Davy Jones said. "And not a day more."

"Deal," Jack said. "Normally, we'd shake on it, but I'll just wave at you, instead."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Why? For goodness sakes, why?" William asked as they left the _Flying Dutchman_.

"I saw an opportunity," Jack explained. "And I took it."

"You'll regret it in thirteen years."

"There's a larger chance of myself being dead in thirteen years," Jack countered.

"And if you aren't?" William persisted.

"I'll deal with it, then," Jack said. "Don't worry, William, it'll be fine. It always ends so."

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A/N: I wanted Jack to play a cleric for the Church of England, but I remembered that he laughed at that memory when it was read out in his hanging at the end of the _Curse of the Black Pearl_. The scene I wrote wouldn't be a humourous thought for him. 

Please review.


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